Paul D. Cordes was not among those community leaders present at the dedication of St. Tammany Parish Hospital in late 1954, but that doesn’t mean his contributions to the hospital – and, indeed, to the community as a whole -- are any less worthy of recognition.
That’s why, shortly after his death on July 26, 2005, the health system’s leadership officially named its then-new outpatient pavilion in Covington in his honor.
Which brings us to today’s installment of our ongoing 70 for 70 history series.
Installment No. 20: Honoring a life of service
Today’s artifact: A memorial plaque just inside the main entrance to St. Tammany Health System’s Paul D. Cordes Outpatient Pavilion, installed to recognize the contributions of the longtime local community leader and health system champion.
Why it is significant: Paul Desbon Cordes wasn’t the sit-and-do-nothing type. Consequently, the list of achievements he amassed in his 85 years is a long one.
A graduate of Tulane University, he was an executive with South Central Bell. In addition, he owned his own real estate agency. During World War II, he became a decorated pilot. Afterward, he served as mayor of Mandeville for 12 years starting in 1964.
And in 1980, he joined the Board of Commissioners of St. Tammany Health System’s flagship St. Tammany Parish Hospital. He would serve in that position right up until his death 25 years later, including serving as board chairman from 1993 to 1998 and as secretary/treasurer from 1999 to 2005.
In that time, Mr. Cordes helped steer innumerable expansion and improvement projects. Among his last: construction of a long-awaited outpatient pavilion on Louisiana Highway 1085 (aka Bootlegger Road).
A photo published in The St. Tammany Farmer newspaper – and reproduced below – shows him in attendance at the ribbon-cutting for it in March 2004. He would pass away just a little more than a year later.
Shortly after, the hospital board voted to affix his name to the facility in perpetuity.
Since then, the Paul D. Cordes Outpatient Pavilion has grown to become the premiere diagnostic center on the Northshore, offering a full suite of outpatient services, including imaging services, lab services, cardiopulmonary rehab programs, a wound care and hyperbaric medicine clinic and more.
In 2023, it was recognized by readers of New Orleans CityBusiness as among the region’s best diagnostic imaging centers – a fitting tribute to a building named after a true servant leader.
“Mr. Cordes supported our hospital for so many years,” former hospital President and CEO Patti Ellish said in 2005 in announcing the naming of the outpatient pavilion after him. “He will always be remembered as a friend of St. Tammany Parish Hospital.”
Do you have a St. Tammany Parish Hospital story or item to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at CommDept@stph.org.
Next week – Installment No. 21: Team of champions
Last week – Installment No. 19: A generous heart